Overview & Reviews

Introduced in the mid 2000s just as gas prices were beginning to race skyward, the Honda Fit immediately became a hit with frugal car shoppers. A subcompact four-door hatchback, the Honda Fit has earned praise for its world-class engineering and design, and it has definitely found its niche with consumers, particularly with the second-generation model. With either generation, you'll find crisp handling, an adaptable interior, high-quality fit and finish and a relatively low price. An all-new third-generation Fit is also on its way. For small-car shoppers, the Honda Fit represents an almost ideal package.

Current Honda Fit
The Honda Fit is available in two main trim levels: base and Sport. Both come with a fuel-efficient 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 117 horsepower and 106 pound-feet of torque. A five-speed manual transmission is standard, with a five-speed automatic transmission being optional. Paddle shifters are included with the automatic for the Sport version. Fuel economy is respectably good with either transmission.

On the base Fit, air-conditioning, cruise control, keyless entry a tilt-and-telescoping steering column and a four-speaker audio system with a CD player, auxiliary audio jack and iPod/USB audio interface are standard. The Honda Fit Sport gains bigger wheels, sportier exterior trim details and a six-speaker audio system. Fit Sports can also be optioned with a touchscreen navigation system that includes Bluetooth phone and audio connectivity and voice controls.

The Fit is Honda's smallest automotive product, but it nearly matches the total passenger space of the larger Civic sedan. To help achieve this, Honda has installed a compact rear suspension design and placed the fuel tank underneath the passenger seat. Another key advantage for the Fit is its innovative, highly versatile rear seating arrangement. The "Magic Seat" has seatbacks that fold flat and seat cushions that can be flipped upward, creating a tall load area right behind the front seats -- sort of like a crew cab pickup's rear seats. Maximum cargo capacity is an impressive 57 cubic feet.

In reviews, we've found the Honda Fit to be a pleasure to drive for a frugal subcompact. The car has a solid feel to it, countering the perception of vehicles in this class as tinny econoboxes. Generally speaking, the Honda Fit continues the model's tradition of providing serious bang for the buck, and its combination of driving dynamics, polish and big-time practicality distinguish it from the competition.

Used Honda Fit Models
The current second-generation Honda Fit debuted for the 2009 model year. No notable changes occurred until 2012, when it received minor styling updates, steering-wheel-mounted audio controls, added sound insulation and an upgraded Bluetooth system with streaming audio capabilities.

The first-generation Honda Fit was available for just two years: 2007 and 2008. It came in two trim levels with no factory options available. The base version adhered to a minimalist philosophy, though it still came standard with air-conditioning and a CD player. The uplevel Sport trim was snazzier and, predictably, we favored it. It featured larger, 15-inch alloy wheels, stickier tires, exterior styling pieces, keyless entry, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a premium MP3-compatible audio system with an auxiliary audio jack.

The Fit stuck to the Honda playbook when it came to interior controls, which were intelligently designed and utilized high-quality materials. For a subcompact, the first-generation Honda Fit was surprisingly roomy and versatile. Chalk much of that up to the car's specialized second-row, 60/40-split seat design. The rear seats could be placed into four different configurations, depending on passenger or cargo needs. Folding the rear seat flat provided a surprising 41.9 cubic feet of cargo capacity.

Both trim levels were front-wheel drive and were equipped with a 1.5-liter, 109-hp four-cylinder engine. A five-speed manual transmission was standard, and a five-speed automatic was optional. Fit Sports with the automatic also had steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles.

We found the first-generation Honda Fit to possess an enviable driving-fun-to-thrift ratio. Cornering and acceleration were crisp. The subcompact could achieve 0-60-mph sprints in fewer than 10 seconds with either transmission. Fuel economy was commendable, and safety was good. The whole thing was almost perfect. Almost. The main downside was that although the car seemed less tinny than other cars in its class, at highway speeds the engine made its presence known. The lack of a telescoping steering wheel could also be an annoyance for taller drivers. But on balance the first-generation Honda Fit provided about as much fun, satisfaction and value as you could find in a small economy car.

User Reviews:

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  Path worn to dealer - 2007 Honda Fit
  By reddwood - December 13 - 8:50 pm

  Repacing Toyota 03 ECHO w/70k (I miss her) @6500 my-cars been back three times.1 check fuel cap 2 repace fuel cap 3 oil change that took 2 hrs. Head hits grab rail, pedals too close together, gas pedal placed wrong, paint not durable, carpeting is cheap, parts took 5 weeks (touchup paint,pastic holder for fuseblock cover [CHEAP]) Sputters from a cold start. console takes away valuable leg and knee room. 41.5 mpg avg w/40lbs of air in tires handles ok - has decent acceleration Lights flicker w/alternator load and battery is too small.No ash tray-glove box is large.

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  The BEST Fit in Class - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Barry - December 10 - 1:49 pm

  I have owned the Fit for a year now and LOVE IT!! The gas mileage has been very good 30.1 in town and 47 highway. It is high quality - both in the interior and exterior. No rattles in interior and the fit and finish is very high quality.After looking at Yaris this was the best value for the bucks. I love the folding seats!! This is a fun car to drive, love the paddle shifters. Love the stereo - enjoy the jazz. After working many years for Toyota in service I was impressed by the quality of this car as it far surpassed Toyota. For the Fit nay sayers you really are missing out on the high quality of this car. I recommend this car to all my friends!!

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  1st Honda, Very Disappointed - 2008 Honda Fit
  By UnFit4Me - December 10 - 12:02 pm

  Rattly, horrid in snow, terrible AC/heat venting, windshield is impossible to keep clear in snow/ice, headlight covers hard to keep clear, terrible visibility, tire system needs dealer reprogramming for snow tires, poor door lock system, expensive key, ground clearance too low, fishtails in snow horribly, center vents TOO HIGH, blasting air in eyes, heat and A/C insufficient, gas pedal odd angle and stressful to keep in one position, rear window in rain, in short, in 5 months, too many dislikes - will be selling soon.

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  Awesome - 2008 Honda Fit
  By Labguy2 - December 5 - 12:34 pm

  We are 6 months into our Fit and it has been great! Nearly 40 mpg on trips and well over 30 around town. A bonus in that it is fun to drive, and proudly parks next to our CR-V. Sound system is great, headlights brilliant, seats are comfy (I am 65"), interior space and design of seat optional positions are ingenious. I could only ask for a map light and a little more space between the ground and the front end sport trim. It is a jewel!

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  Great Choice - 2016 Honda Fit
  By Mike Lopez - December 4 - 6:44 pm

  Fantastic car that will get you from A to B. Cheap and hauls an insane amount of cargo for a vehicle this size.

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  Exceeds expectations - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Dave - December 1 - 6:03 am

  Everything fits in my Fit. Its comfortable, quiet, and fuel efficient. This car exceeds all my expectations and makes me wonder why so many others are paying so much more to get less value than I have with my Fit. It may be small but it doesnt look or feel like a low priced car. Im proud to own and drive my Honda Fit!

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  Thoughts on Purchasing a 2016 Honda Fit - 2016 Honda Fit
  By ANTHONY PETERSON - November 27 - 6:30 am

  Positives: The 2016 Honda Fit is a visually attractive car with its sleek design. Although it looks very small on the outside, it is plenty roomy on the inside. I have to admit that I did have to adjust the steering wheel height to gain some extra space. The entertainment features (MP3, Bluetooth) are phenomenal and making the driving experience even better. The gas mileage is insane and I love the dashboard color feature that alerts you to how fuel efficient you are driving. I also love that because I am taller than the vehicle, cleaning the exterior is a breeze. Negatives: There are not too many negatives with this car except for the acceleration. When stepping on the gas after a dead stop, the car seems to take a few seconds to get up to optimal driving speed (e.g. 0 to 40 mph). I suspect that it may be a function of the CVT, which I am still getting used to.

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  Only lacks heat! - 2008 Honda Fit
  By jlmcphane - November 21 - 8:14 am

  Up until real winter started two weeks ago, our 2008 Honda Fit Sport has been great. It is a little uncomfortable if it is icey or snowy, since then we cant use the cruise on slippery surfaces and the gas pedal angle is weird. Other than that, I thought it was the perfect commuter car, until I drove it last night at 3 degrees F. All the windows fogged over. If the defrost was on full bore, 2/3 of the windshield was clear. If not, only 1/2 windshield was clear.

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  Regret buying a Fit - 2008 Honda Fit
  By 1111girl - November 17 - 5:12 pm

  Ive had my automatic Fit Sport for about 1 1/2 years and would not recommend it. Gas mileage is only about 28 in city. A/C bogs down engine power and cant cool consistently in heat of AZ summer - goes warm, cold, warm, cold. Inner upholstery is a lint magnet. Biggest peeve - Car is noisy and rattly over-all, with a major rattle inside the dash. Had this from the beginning, service cant seem to fix it. Visibility is poor with huge blind spots on front sides and very hard to see when backing up, especially if you are short like me. Tires go low on air, alignment goes out easily, engine making a high- pitched sound, service says they "cant hear it." Same for rubbing sound when turning left.

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  10 000km Review - 2007 Honda Fit
  By Scott H - November 7 - 12:50 am

  I got my car in Oct 2006 and have done some good Canadian winter driving. The car sticks to the road like glue, even with the middling tires that came with the car. I am not missing the super-luxurious Maxima I used to have. I am pleased that the car limits my speed to 120km plus a bit for passing. My last car was too fast and I appreciate the reduced number of speeding tickets. The Fit is comfortable, thoughtfully laid out and incredibly practical.